Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors – 兵马俑

My last post about Le Premier Jour, a book by Marc Levy, mentioned Xi'an, so I thought I should go on with my tour of China and post a few of my own photos of the Terracotta Army. The army was discovered by farmers in 1974. The figures, which date back from 210 BC, are slightly higher than human beings (of standard size!) and include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, and musicians. It is an amazing sight, even if the display site itself is disappointing, a large iron structure that hides the figures rather than shows them properly. Most tours to China include a visit to the Army, and it is worth it. A large part of the army is still hidden under the earth and it will take time to bring them to the surface. Xi'an itself is an interesting city, with  walls on which you can cycle with rent bikes (great views of the city from up there), many beautiful pagodas, mausoleums, the Bell Tower, and a fascinating Muslim quarter.